Ending the "dual security system" for the Maoist leaders was one of the major demands of the Nepali Congress (NC) while lending its support to CA term extension. Maoist leaders are being given security by both the PLA personnel and the state security forces.[break]
A meeting of the party´s top office bearers on Wednesday took a decision to this effect through majority votes, while the party hardliners led by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya registered a note of dissent.
In the seven-member office bearers´ committee, only Baidya and Secretary CP Gajurel are from the hardline faction.
"His [Baidya´s] argument was that the issue should be decided by the Standing Committee," said Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha.
It is the third time that the Baidya faction has registered a note of dissent against the party´s decision. Baidya had registered his first dissent when Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided to defer the line of revolt and opt for peace and constitution through a majority vote, and second when the party decided to accept the integration modality floated by the Nepal Army (NA).
According to Shrestha, the PLA personnel deployed for the security of the leaders would return to the cantonments.
There are 107 PLA combatants providing security to the leaders. Some four dozen combatants are deployed for the security of Dahal alone.
The Maoists have also decided to privatize vehicles used by the party leaders and register those used in the cantonments as government vehicles. The Maoists altogether have 96 vehicles.
Similarly, the weapons being used for the security of the leaders would be sent back to the cantonments. The Maoists have 96 weapons including AK-47s, SLRs and pistols outside the cantonments for the security of the leaders. Two of them have, however, been taken away by the Matrika Yadav faction.
"We have 94 or 92 weapons," said PLA chief Nanda Kishor Pun.
The Maoists have decided to hold the party´s Standing Committee meeting on Friday to take further decision on the five-point deal. The hardline faction is likely to resist the party´s future decisions.
"This is a positive development and is in line with what they have promised. I hope the decisions will be followed by concrete actions," said NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat.
Commenting on the Maoist decision, CPN-UML Spokesperson Pradip Gyawali said that the effectiveness of the decision depends on how it would be enforced.
"Though the decision is unilateral it is a positive development. But the decision is silent about the date when it would come into effect," said Gyawali, adding that the Maoists had informally agreed with other parties on May 28 that their double security system will come to an end by Friday.
Gyawali also urged the Maoists to take a decision immediately on categorization of the ex-Maoist combatants by Saturday. "There was an agreement that the categorization of Maoist combatants should begin from Saturday."
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